Control for electric ovens



Feb. 3, 1948. R CANDOR 2,435,530

CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC OVENS Filed Sept. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NTOR.

ATTORIZEY$ Feb. 3, 1948. R. R. CANDOR CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC OVENS Filed Sept. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-$heet 2 M 0 2 i am 2 3 o m \4 O M 2 O 2 2 f \Z Z M 4 l l 7 b I .0

(DINVENTOR. 0613 7' r A ya/q B Y ATTORZEYS I Patented Feb. 3, 1948 ooN'rnoL ron ELECTRIC ovens Robert R. Candor, Oakwood, Ohio, asslgnor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application September 21,1940, Serial No. 357,786

This invention relates to domestic appliances and more particularly to electric ranges.

An object of this invention is to provide an electric range system in which a preheating operation at a relatively high wattage is controlled by a timing mechanism followed by operation at a lower wattage controlled by a thermostat, the timing mechanism and the adjustment of the thermostat being controlled by a single manipu- 4 Claims. (Cl. 219-20) may be interposed between the upper heater H and the neutral line N. For broiling operations the upper heater ll alone maybeenergized at full wattage by being placed across the lines L-I andL -2. w A controller for accomplishing-the foregoing is'provided, which has a single manipulator ll, preferablyin the form of a dial. A first switch 18 is operated by athermostatic element 19 under lator. i the influence of thermostatic bulb' 20 within the Further objects and advantages of the present oven [0. A second switch 2| is actuated by the invention will be apparent from the following manipulator I! so that its movable contact 22 description, reference being had to the accommay be close with either contact 23 or contact panying drawings, wherein a preferred form of 2%. When contact is made at 23, the upper the present invention is clearly shown. J 5 resistance II is placed across LI and N, or In the drawings: across L--l and H. When contact is made at Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a wiring 2 1, upper resistance 1 l' is placed across L-l and arrangement for the range together with controls 'L--2. A third switch 25 is operated by the therefor; 1 manipulator l1 and is opened in its "broil and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the con- 20 off position. trolleritself; The thermostatic element l9. and its control Fig, 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of over switch I8 is adjustable by the manipulator Fig. 2, together with indications which may be I IT. This is accomplished by mounting the "maplaced on the front side of the dial; nipulator ll rotatably'about the stationary hub Fig. 4 shows a slightly modified timer which 25 26, the outer sleeve 21 01' the manipulator bearmay be applied to Fig. 2; Q

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the modification thereof;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing -modification thereof; and I Fig. 7 is a view taken along the lines" 1-! of Fig.6. L

An electric range embodying my invention may include an oven H1 provided with an upper resistance I I, used primarily for brolling purposes. and a lower resistance 12 used primarily for baking purposes, together with shelving provisions l3 intermediate the resistances II and I2 tosupport foods between the resistances. The resisting on the external surface 28 of the hub 26, and being axially keyed at 29. A sliding key 30'is keyed into a screw 3| which bears against the center 32 of the -thermostatic bellows or diabellows expands or contracts, it moves the lever 34 about the fulcrum 35 and operates the snap switch [8 through the medium of spring 36, which is secured. at one end to the lever 34 and at the ances II and I2 are adapted to be connected-to :0 other end to a fulcrumed lever 31. When the an electrical source of power such as linesflL-!, bellows l9 contracts sufliciently', y the coolmg -L--2, and, if desired, certain connections toe. of the oven, it closes the switch 18, whereas exneutral or grounded line N may be provided. pansion of the bellows, by the heating oft e Preferably the arrangement is such thatthe reoven, opens the switch Hi. The setti 0f h sistances H and I2 are energized at full wattagebellows I9 is such that in the "off position. e e for the preheating operation by being placed when fully collapsed, the switch 8 cannot 01058- across the lines L-I and L-2. The baking oper- By this constructiomthe thermostat element atlon preferably is performed by energizing the bellows l9 can cycle the resistances II and i2 lower resistance l2 at full wattage across the in response to oven temperatures, and the set- -full voltage of lines L-l and L-2 together with ting of the thermostat can be adjusted to various the upper resistance II at reduced wattage, such temperatures by rotation of the; manipulator as by placing it across the lines L-l and N, or The switch 2| is operated by. the mampulat r y Placing it across the line L-l to an interii. The movable contact 22 is mounted on lever mediate point M of heater l2 through the medium -40 fulcrumed at 4| and normally urged to th of lines l5.- If desired an external resistance 16; left by the tension spring A lever l "urged downward by the tension-spring54.

adapted to move the contact 22 against contact 24. This is accomplished by a compression spring 44 which normally tends to rotate the lever 43 clockwise about the fulcrum 45, but is prevented from doing so by the cam 46 of the manipulator ii. The cam 46 engages the end 41 of the rod 43 in every position of the manipulator except the broil position and the ,"preheat position, Where a recess 48 is provided in the cam '46 as is evident from Fig, 3. On the broil" or preheat positions, the end 41 can move into the recess 48, and when this occurs the lever 43, under the power of spring 44 moves lever '40 and its contact 22 against contact :24. By this con-- struction the upper resistance 1 is energiz'e'd at full wattage across the lines L-l and. L2 in the broil. and preheat positions of the manipulator i1; whereas the heater Ii is placed across the lines L--| and N or point [4 at every other position of the manipulator l1.

A'clockcontrol'50 is provided, whichis actuated by the manipulator l1 and holds the contact '22 on contact 24 for a predetermined period of time after the manipulator i"! has been moved to and away from the preheat position. This is accomplished by providinga hook lever 5|, fulcrumed at 52, the hook 53 of which is normally The lever 55, fulcrumed at 56-is'adapted to move the hook 53 upwardly under the power of spring 51 whenever the end '58 falls into recess 59, when the manipulator I! is onthe preheat position. The construction is such that "when the manipulator is rotated, first through the broil position,

contact 22 is moved to contact 24 and the hook 60 is moved to the right. Thereafter, upon further rotation of themanipulator I! to preheat position, the hook '53 engages hook '60 and prevents 'm'ovement'o'f contact 22 away from contact 24 until after a predetermined length of time, determined by .a clock mechanism, which, in

.Fig. 2, may take the .form of dash-pot 61, while inFig. 4 it may take the :i'orm -of gear train 63 and'escapement 64. With the above construction the hook'53 is in its lower position stall positions of the manipulator i1 except in the preheat position. .Movement of the manipuiator I! to and away from preheat 'sets the switch 2! with contact 22 on 24 :i'or a predetermove into recess 59, and causing spring .51 'to energize spring 54. In Fig.4, the spring :54a is likewise energized by movement of the corresponding manipulator. With regard to Fig. 4, :it is understoodthat the structure shown in :Fig. 4 is to be substituted in its obvious position oi Fig. 2. The parts which are identical, or correspond to thoseof Fig. 2 are indicated by the same numeral with a sufflx a, while the remainder of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are to be the-same with respect to Fig. 4. The lever 51a is provided-with a rod 65 which is provided with a one-way pinion fili engaging wheel '67. that the rod '65maymove freely upwardly with- -outrotating the wheel 67,-whereas'it must rotate The construction is such the wheel in downward'movement' A compressionspring 68 is provided for holding the pinion 66 and wheel altogether. The wheel6l is fixed 4 to a larger gear wheel 69 which in turn meshes with the gear 10 provided with the escapement 64. The arrangement of Fig. 4 is such that when the manipulator I! is moved to and away from preheat, the lever moves downwardly and energizes the spring 54a and hooks the pinion 66. Thereafter a timing operation is initiated by the "slow downward movement of the rod under the control of the escapement 64 and under the power of spring 54a.

The switch 25 is operated by the manipulator l1, so that it remains closed in all positions except the "oiI and broil positions. This is accomplished by providing a lever Hi fulcrumed at 1],wlthitslower end l2 bearing against the cam 'sur-fa'ce'i3. The upper end of the lever 10 carries the movable contact 14, and is normally urged away from the stationary contact 15 by atension spring 16. As long as the lower end 12 of the lever I0 rides on the cam 13 the switch 25 is closed, and this occurs in all positions of the manipulator I7 except on the off position and the broil position. Recesses I1 and 18 are provided in the cam 13, and when the end 12 enters these recesses, the switch 25 is opened.

As a consequence of the above, thezheaters H and i2 are completely deenergized when the manipulator is in the off position. This is accomplished because, in this position, the switch I8 is opened by the adjustment of the thermostat IS, the switch 25 is opened by the rod 10, while the switch 2| is in a position where the contact 22 engages contact 23 and thus connects one-end of the resistance l I to the neutral line or to the deenergized point 14 oi. the lower unit 12. When the manipulator I1 is in any one of the temperature graduated positions such as from 50 to 600, the lower unit I! operates at full wattage across the lines Li and L-2 while the upper unit operates at a reduced wattage across the line L-I to the neutral N or to the point l4. At this time the heaters II and I! are cycled-at the selected oven temperature'under the control of the thermostat IS in response'to "oven temperatures by "the opening and closing of the switchlB. When the manipulator is moved to the broil position, the upper heater H is energized at full wattage across the lines L-l and L-2 by reason of the fact that the contact 22 engages contact 24 and the switch I8 is maintained closed by the thermostat |9 at all ordinary broil temperatures in the oven ill. Usually the average temperature of the oven I0 is insured to be below the 600 setting by'slightly opening the door of the oven during broiling operations, and as a consequence the heater ll continues to operate in a glowing condition without interruption due to thermostatic controi stopping only under abnormally high temperature conditions above 600. When it is desired to preheat the oven quickly prior to a baking operation, the manipulatorl I is moved to the preheat position and then moved to a selected bake temperature setting between the 50 and 600 graduations. Following this manipulation, the heaters 'II and I 2 are energized at full wattage because the switch I8 is closed by the thermostat l9 and because the contact 22 is in engagement with the contact 24 and is locked in that position by the hook 53 under the control of the clock mechanism 50. The heaters continue to be energized at full wattage for a predetermined period of time, determined by the setting of the clock mechanism, after which time the clock mechanism lowers the hook 53 and-releases the lever 40, allowing lt'to move to the leitunder the tension of spring 42 thus bringing contact 22 into engagement with contact 23. As a result. after the oven has been preheated under control of the clock mechanism, the heaters II and I2 are cycled under the control of thermostat I8 and the upper heater at reduced wattage. It is to be noted that the oven is not preheated above the selected temperature, because even if the clock mechanism is still holding the contact 22 on contact 24 when the selected temperature is reached in the oven, the thermostat I9 opens the switch I8 at this selected temperature and thus prevents the oven from heating above the selected temperature.

It is understood that the clock mechanism disclosed in this application may be provided with an audible signal such as a, bell to be sounded when the clock mechanism releases the switch which it controls and thus informs the user that the preheating operation has terminated. The bell signal may be operated mechanically when the lever 5| reaches its preheat terminating position. The bell 5Ic may be provided with a trip lever 5| d, which is caught by the extension 5Ie on its downward or clock setting position. When the lever 5I returns to its preheat terminating position, the trip lever 5Id is released and the bell is sounded.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the time device is operated by the electric current. In the particular form shown, a thermostatic element is heated during the preheat operation, so that it terminates the preheat operation after a substantially definite length of time during which interval the thermostatic element is being heated by the electric current. In Fig. 5, the elements corresponding to those shown in Fig. 1 have been numbered with the same number except that 100 has been added thereto. For example, the switch H8 of Fig. 5 corresponds to switch I 8 of Fig. 1 and is operated by the thermostatic element II9 of Fig. 6 precisely the same way that the switch I8 is operated by the thermostatic element I9 of Fig. 2. All of the elements of Figs. 5, 6 and 7 operate exactly the same as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the exception of the timing mechanism and with the exception that recesses in the manipulator cams are slightly modified to adapt the system to the thermostatic clock control.

The thermostatic clock control I50 includes bimetal thermostatic element 200 provided with a hook 20I When the manipulator H1 is moved to the preheat position the lever I40 is moved to the right and is engaged by the hook 20I of the thermostatic element 200, being retained in this position for a predetermined length of time during which the thermostatic element is heated by the heater 202 whereupon the hook 20I is lowered sufficiently to release the hook I60 to allow the lever I40 to be moved to the left by the tension spring I42.

The heater 202 is under the control of the manipulator I I 1 through the medium of lever I10,

which lever I10 carries a second movable contact i? 203 in addition to the movable contact I14. When the lever I10 is moved counter-clockwise in Fig. 6, the contacts I14 and 203 close upon contact I15. On the preheat position, the lever I40 is moved to the right and therefore brings the contact 204 into engagement with the contact 205. This closes a circuit from the line L-2 to ground or neutral N to energize the heater 202.

As a consequence of the above, when the manipulator is moved first to the "preheat position and then to any one of the "bake positions betweenthe graduations 50 and 600, the heaters II I and I I2 are first heated at maximum wattage for a predetermined period of time while the thermostatic element 200 is being heated. After the element 200 is heated, the hook 20I releases the hook I60 and allows the heaters III and NZ to cycle under the control of thermostat H9 at the selected bake temperature with the upper heater III at reduced wattage and the lower heater I I2 at maximum wattage.

The heater 200 is normally biased, in its unheated condition to be in its upper position. This may be accomplished by having it inherently remain there in its unheated position as shown in Fig. 5, or it may be aided by the tension spring 2 I 0 as shown in Fig. 6, as desired.

The cam surfaces I46, I and I13 of Fig. 7 are quite similar to the corresponding cams 40, 90 and 13 of Fig. 3. However, they have been. modified in order to insure proper operation of the heater 202. Thus a recess 206 is provided in the cam I46 at preheat position. On preheat position the cam I90 has no recess because at this time it is desired to maintain the lever I55 in the upper position to allow the hook 20I to engage hook I60. It is noted that the hook MI is inclined so that the hook I60 may snap over it as the manipulator II 1 is brought to preheat position. In the "ofi position, the cam I13 is provided with a recess 201. This opens the contacts 203, I14 and I15 while the cam I46 causes lever I40 to maintain contacts I22 and I23 in engagement. At this time the switch H8 is opened because of the adjustment of the thermostat II9 below room temperature, and as a consequence the heaters III and H2 are deenergized and disconnected fromthe lines L-I and L--2. In the broil" position, a recess 208 is provided in the cams I46, I90 and I13. As a result, the lever I40 is moved to the right by the lever I43 similarly to the action in Figs. 1 and 2. The hook I60 is not engaged by the hook 20! in the broil position because at this time the lever I55 is lowered into engagement with the hook 209 of the heater 200 and lowers the heater to prevent engagement of the hooks I60 and 2M. As a consequence, when the manipulator H1 is moved away from the broil position the lever I40 is allowed to move to the left without engagement of the hook 20I and thus a preheating operation at that time is prevented. Operation of the other parts of the elements shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are believed to be obvious by reference to corresponding operation in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and hence they are not further described.

If desired, the length of the preheating period may be varied, preferably in accordance with the temperature adjustment selected. The preheatin peIiOd preferably is made longer as the higher temperature adjustments are selected by the position of the manipulator I1. To accomplish this the surface may be made with gradually varying distance from its axis so that its surface is greater at the places corresponding to the lower temperature selections (50-) and gradually (or by steps) becomes less at the places corresponding to the higher heat selections (600-). The hook 00 may be fulcrumed at 98. and may be urged downwardly either by gravity or by spring action, being stopped by the vertically adjustable rod 91. The lower end 90 of the rod 91 ride on the surface 95 so that the vertical position 01' the hook 60 is varied in accordance with the temperature setting to be 4,. higher with the lower temperature settings and vice versa. 'Thi adjusts the preheating time by varying the hook 60.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electric oven including an electric heating means for heating the oven, an adjustable thermostatic switch means for controlling the connection of the heating means to a power source to regulate the temperatures of said oven, connecting means for connecting said heating means selectively into a baking circuit arrangement and into a preheat circuit arrangement, an adjustable clock mechanism for controlling according to definite periods of time the operation of the connecting means in changing from the preheat circuit arrangement to the baking circuit arrangement, manipulating means pro vided with means for setting said connecting means in the preheat circuit arrangement and with means for adjusting said thermostatic switch means to operate at various temperature settings, and operating means between the switch adjusting means and said clock mechanism for adjusting said clock mechanism in time required for hook 53 to release 'direct accordance with the adjustment of said tion of the connecting means in changing from the preheat circuit arrangement to the baking" circuit arrangement, a single manipulating means provided with means for setting said connecting means in the preheat circuit arrangement and with means for adjusting said thermostatic switch means, and operating means between said manipulating means and said clock mechanism for adjusting said clock mechanism indirect accordance with the adjustment of said thermostaticswitchmeans.

3. An electric oven including an electric heating means for heating the oven, an adjustable thermostatic switch means for controlling the connection of the heating means to a power source'to regulate the temperatures of said oven, connecting mean for connecting said heating means selectively into a baking circuit arrange-' ment and into a preheat circuit arrangement, an adjustable clock mechanism for controlling according to definite periods of time the operation of the connecting means in changing from the preheat circuit arrangement to the baking cir-- cuit arrangement, a, single manipulating means provided with optional means for setting said connecting means in the preheat circuit arrange-' ment and 'with'means for adjusting said thermostatic switch me'ans, and operating means'between the switch adjusting means and said clock mechanism for adjusting the clock mechanism.

4. An electric ovenincluding an electric heating means for heating the oven, an adjustable thermostatic switch means for controlling the connection of the heating means to a power source to regulate the temperatures of said oven, connecting means for connecting said heating means selectively into a baking circuit arrangement and into a preheat circuit arrangement, an adjustable timing mechanism for controlling according to definite periods of time the operation of the connecting mean in changing from the preheat circuit arrangement to the baking circuit arrangement, manipulating means provided with means for setting said connecting means in the preheat circuit arrangement and with adjusting means for adjusting said thermostatic switch means to operate at various temperature settings, and cam means operated by said adjusting means and proportioned in accordance with the time required to reach the temperature setting to which theswitch means may be adjusted foradjusting said timing mechanism.

ROBERT R. CANDOR.

an nnNo s CITED The following references file of this patent:

UNITED I srn'rns PATENTS are of record in the Myers July 16, 1940 

